Sunday, May 22, 2011

WWI German Discrimination took a serious turn

I wrote here about the Anti-German experience in World War I. In the new resource I found yesterday, there were files released from the precursor of the FBI. I searched the database for "Brueggemann". I found this record, not one of "our" Brueggemanns.

Apparently, the Postmaster of Aloca, TN reported to the US Marshall that there was a gentleman in his community that he found to be suspicious.

"A.L. Brueggeman of Alcoa, Tennessee, and I note that this man has aroused your suspicions because of his name and German accent, and the fact that he has written a great many letters, most of which, however, appear to go to his wife in Newark, New Jersey, and under these circumstances, I do not consider it advisable to have his mail opened and examined by an agent of this department, as suggested by you."

Clay Irvine, Postmaster, thought this man was suspicious because he spoke with a German accent and he wrote a lot of letters. It must have been a very hard time for German Americans, especially those who were proud to be American.